He Didn't Approve
by Laser Lance 720
Summary: Draco comes home after informing his father of his relationship. He knew the man wouldn't approve of his son's life choices, but Draco didn't expect it to go as bad as it did. Hopefully Harry will know what to do to make this right again.


Written for **Getting Around Challenge** (Draco/Harry), **Mega Song Lyric List** (66. "And though my edges are rough; I never feel I'm quite good enough; it may not seem like much, but I'm yours" – The Script, I'm Yours.), **Huge TV Quote Bucket** (8. "It's so much easier to get someone to hate something than to believe" – Peter Pan, Once Upon A Time)

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There was a rather large red mark across his pale features. It covered the majority of his cheek, the tip of it swelling his eye. It was in the shape of a hand. Harry instantly knew things hadn't gone as well as either of them could have hoped.

"What happened?" Harry asked, although he could already imagine.

Draco didn't respond, only bit his bottom lip. He looked passed Harry, refusing to let his gaze fall onto the other man. There was a shine in his grey eyes which were a dead giveaway that he'd been fighting tears. The blond shook his head, making to push Harry aside and head towards the bedroom.

Reaching out, Harry wrapped his fingers around Draco's arm. He gave a tug, stopping Draco from leaving the living room. The blond didn't turn around, only hung his head and kept his back towards him.

"Tell me what happened," Harry said. "Trust me, it'll be good to talk."

Draco chuckled darkly, his head lifting slightly. "What good is talking going to do? It won't change anything. It won't make a difference."

Harry gulped, trying to find the words he needed. He knew letting Draco go on his own hadn't been a smart move. But the Slytherin had insisted. Upon his father's release from Azkaban, Draco had felt that it would be best to inform the man of their relationship before he found out from another source. No one expected it to go well, but Harry definitely hadn't expected Draco to return with that mark on his face.

Moving to where he could face him, Harry sighed at the injury. It was throbbing red, and already showing signs of bruising. He made to run the back of his hand over the mark, when Draco flinched away. "He did that, didn't he?"

"It's nothing," Draco shook his head, backing away a step. Harry's grip on his arm fell. "I've been through worse."

"That doesn't make it any better," Harry challenged. "What exactly happened?"

Draco sighed, looking away. His eyes scanned anywhere but his fiancés face. "He didn't take it well, as expected. I figured I had met his quota of disappointments already. But no, turns out Lucius Malfoy hates gays more than he does blood traitors. Honestly, unless it's pureblooded, white, and fulfilling the expected family values, he can't stand it. Even if it's his own son."

"Draco, I'm sorry."

"Don't," Draco cut him off. His grey eyes hardened. "Don't apologize for him."

"I wasn't apologizing for him," Harry answered. "Your father is a bigoted old man, and if he can't see how amazing you are, if he can shut you out over something like this, than you don't need him. However, I was apologizing that you had to go through that. You shouldn't have done it by yourself. I should have been there beside you."

Draco sighed. He moved away, dropping onto the couch. He had his chin rested in the cup of his hands. His hair was disheveled, pushed over to the side. He cheeks were flushed, and a light sweat was dotted over his forehead. The red mark was beginning to fade into a pink hue, the center still a soft purple. It was going to bruise.

Seeing that mark of the face of the man he loved filled Harry with such anger. If Draco didn't need him here right now, Harry would have likely stormed off to Malfoy Manor and would now be on his way to Azkaban for murder. He half wondered if the Boy Who Lived statues would assist him in killing his future father-in-law.

"He didn't believe," Draco said, bringing Harry from his murderous thoughts, "when I told him about us. He said I was just going through a phase. I was looking for attention. I was rebelling. I was being stupid. He said he hated me."

"Maybe that's all he knows," Harry offered. "I'm not justifying him but, it's so much easier to get someone to hate something than to believe."

Draco didn't seem to hear him, "he honestly thinks that I could still become this perfect little son he's always wanted. He still thinks he can control me. That a little threat of disappointing was going to all of a sudden cause me to snap to my senses. I'm twenty five for fucks sake. I'm done changing for him any longer. I am who I am, and I'm not changing that."

"Good for you," Harry dared a smile. He took the seat next to Draco.

"I just… I knew he wouldn't approve, but I at least thought…." Draco trailed off. He shifted on the couch, turning to face Harry fully. He reached out, taking Harry's hands and squeezing them once. Harry squeezed back, reassuring him that he was there. "I didn't think he'd go as far as he did."

There was a moment of silence between them. After a few deep breathes, Draco continued slowly, "I have spent most of my life trying to please him. Trying to be the son he wanted me to be. I was never what he wanted. Never who he wanted. I never felt good enough for him. And in the last few years, I have felt like I could just be myself. And I have you to thank for that. You and your little group of Gryffindorks."

Harry chuckled, "I'm glad we can be of use."

Draco smirked, "don't go getting a big head. But, he completely pushed all of that aside. Talking to him today, I felt like I did growing up. Like everything I have gone through, everything I have done, everything I have struggled to change, none of it seemed to matter. And I hated that. I hate how he can't accept that things are different. That I'm different."

"Give him time," Harry said.

"You obviously don't know my father," Draco groaned. "About five years in prison, and the first thing he asks me is if I've heard from the Death Eater front and what am I doing to assist them in regaining power."

"There are still Death Eaters?"

Draco shrugged, "I guess. He made it sound like it. You definitely need to talk to the Aurors about it."

Harry took note of that. "But what happened afterwards?"

"I told him I had no plans to rejoin," Draco answered. "I learned my lesson that first time, I wasn't going to make that same mistake. I told him about what I've been up to. He didn't seem too happy to learn about that I was working at Hogwarts. Said it was below a Malfoy to take such a job. That was nothing in comparison to his reaction when I told him about you. I don't know what he hated more, the fact that I was into blokes, of the fact that you were the bloke I was into."

"Should I be worried he's going to bust into my house and kill me."

"No," Draco actually smiled at that comment. "He's still under house arrest. And seeing as how he's basically kicked me out of that house, I don't think you have to worry about running into him."

"Well," Harry said, smiling widely, "it's a good thing you don't really live there anymore, anyways. He can't kick you out of my house. I've claimed you and offered up my bed. You're here to stay."

"Ever the considerate one," Draco chuckled.

"What about your mother?" It seemed strange to Harry that Narcissa hadn't come up in this conversation yet.

"She was there. But she hasn't really been staying at the Manor remember," Draco answered. "She's still with Aunt Andy. I think after today, she's going to officially move in there. She didn't seem too pleased with what my father had to say. I made sure she got home before I came home."

Hearing Draco refer to this place as _home_ brought a small smile to Harry's face. Now wasn't the moment to call him out on finally referring to this place as home after the three years he's lived there.

"I think she's finalizing the divorce papers after today," Draco said.

Harry nodded at that, "good for her. But seriously, how are you doing? The truth. Are you alright?"

Draco looked like he was pondering that for a moment. "You know what, I'm okay. It feels very good to finally, _finally_ tell him everything I've been too scared to."

Harry shifted on the couch, so that he was closer to Draco. He drew his arm around him, drawing the thinner male against his side. Being the taller one, Harry found his head resting on top of Draco's as the other's rested his on Harry's shoulder. They sat like that for a moment, and Harry marveled in the fact of how close they had gotten since they got together.

"That's good," Harry said once they settled together. "Just so you know, no matter what your father thinks, I still love you."

"And I you," Draco responded.

Harry smiled, drumming his fingers over the back of Draco's hand. They sat there on the couch, just letting the world spin by as they took in the day's events. It hadn't gone as wished with Lucius, but Harry wasn't going to let that get him down.

He loved the blond in his arms. He loved him more than he ever expected to, and it didn't matter what the man's father said. Draco was his, and he was Draco's. They belonged to each other and there was nothing anyone, especially Lucius bloody Malfoy, could say that would break the two of them apart.


End file.
